The present invention relates generally to board games, and more particularly, is directed to a board game having a restaurant theme having a plurality of different elements of play and in which two distinct conditions must be met to win.
Board games are known in which players must traverse a course, with the winner being the first player to reach a finish line. Further, board games, such as that sold under the trademark TRIVIAL PURSUIT are known in which a player traverses a game board and must answer questions, with the first person to correctly answer a predetermined number of questions being declared the winner. Board games are also known in which a person with the most money wins. In the above games, only one condition for winning is provided.
Further, although games are known in which a player must traverse a course, the course is the same course for all players.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a board game that overcomes the problems with the aforementioned prior art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a board game having different elements which come into play during the game.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a board game in which the different elements are positioning of a playing piece by completion of the course, correctly answering questions, time and accumulation of rewards.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a board game in which two distinct conditions must be met by a player to win the game.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a board game in which the two conditions that must be met are completion of the course by correctly answering questions and the accumulation of the most rewards.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a board game in which each person is provided with their own course to traverse.
It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide a board game in which the course to be traversed includes a plurality of tables at a restaurant station.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a board game in which each player must traverse his or her course a plurality of times.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a board game in which there is a time limit for traversing each course during a player""s turn.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a board game to be played by a plurality of playing entities, includes a playing surface; a playing piece for each playing entity; a course to be traversed on the playing surface within a predetermined time period by the playing piece of each playing entity; a plurality of traverse questions which must be answered by each playing entity during that playing entity""s turn in order for the playing piece of the playing entity to proceed along the course; a time keeping device for determining when the predetermined time period has expired during a playing entity""s turn such that failure to completely traverse the course during a playing entity""s turn requires the playing entity to complete the course during a subsequent turn; rewards provided to each playing entity for correctly answering the questions during traverse of the course by the respective playing entity; and a playing entity which first satisfies both conditions of completely traversing the course within the predetermined time period and accumulating more rewards than any other playing entity, wins the game.
Preferably, the course to be traversed includes a plurality of stations on the playing surface such that the playing piece of each playing entity occupies a respective station, and each station includes a plurality of positions to be traversed by the playing piece of the playing entity occupying the station within the predetermined period of time. Each playing entity is required to traverse the positions of the station occupied by the playing entity a plurality of times to complete a plurality of different levels, with each traverse being performed for each level within the predetermined period of time. In a most preferred embodiment, the board game has a restaurant theme, with the stations comprising waitress stations and the positions comprising tables to be waited on, and the questions including questions regarding at least one of food, drink and restaurant services.
Further, each playing entity is required to start at an ending position of the course at each start of a playing entity""s turn, although a playing entity is permitted to traverse the course for a next level after the playing entity has completed traverse of the course for a level within the predetermined period of time, provided that the predetermined period of time has not elapsed.
The board game further includes a bonus card to be provided to a playing entity after the playing entity completes a level, with the bonus card providing an additional reward or a reward subtraction. The board game also includes a final round question to be answered by a playing entity during the playing entity""s turn when the playing entity has completed traverse of all levels of the course, each within the predetermined time period, and the playing entity has accumulated less rewards than another playing entity; and an additional reward is provided to the playing entity for correctly answering the final round question to enable the playing entity to satisfy both conditions of completing traverse of the course within the predetermined time period and accumulating more rewards than any other playing entity, in order to win. The rewards preferably include monetary rewards.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a restaurant theme board game to be played by a plurality of playing entities, includes a playing surface; a playing piece for each playing entity; a course to be traversed on the playing surface by the playing piece of each playing entity, the course to be traversed including a plurality of waitress stations on the playing surface such that the playing piece of each playing entity occupies a respective station, and each waitress station includes a plurality of tables to be traversed by the playing piece of the playing entity occupying the station, with each playing entity required to traverse the tables of the waitress station occupied by the playing entity a plurality of times to complete a plurality of different levels, and with each traverse of all tables of the waitress station being performed for each level within a predetermined period of time; a plurality of traverse questions which must be answered by each playing entity during that playing entity""s turn in order for the playing piece of the playing entity to proceed along tables of the playing entity""s station, the questions including questions regarding at least one of food, drink and restaurant services; a time keeping device for determining when the predetermined time period has expired during a playing entity""s turn such that failure to completely traverse all tables of the station occupied by the playing entity during a playing entity""s turn requires the playing entity to complete the course during a subsequent turn; rewards provided to each playing entity for correctly answering the questions during traverse of the course by the respective playing entity; and a playing entity which first satisfies both conditions of completely traversing the tables at the station occupied by the playing entity for each level within the predetermined time period and accumulating more rewards than any other playing entity, wins the game.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, a method of playing a board game, includes the steps of requiring a predetermined course to be traversed at least once within a predetermined period of time; requiring questions to be answered by a playing entity to move a playing piece of the playing entity along the course; moving the playing piece of the playing entity along the course when the playing entity correctly answers each question during the predetermined period of time; providing rewards to each playing entity for correctly answering the questions during traverse of the course; and requiring a playing entity to satisfy both conditions of completing traverse of the course within the predetermined time period and accumulating more rewards than any other playing entity, in order to win.
Specifically, a plurality of stations are provided on the playing surface such that each playing entity occupies a respective station, each station including a plurality of tables forming a course to be traversed by the playing piece of one playing entity within a predetermined time period.
The step of requiring a predetermined course to be traversed at least once within a predetermined period of time includes the steps of requiring a playing entity to traverse the course a plurality of times to complete a plurality of different levels, and requiring a playing entity to traverse the course for each level within the predetermined period of time, with each playing entity required to start at an ending position of the course at each start of the playing entity""s turn.
Further, a playing entity is permitted to traverse the course for a next level after the playing entity has completed traverse of the course for a level within the predetermined period of time, provided that the predetermined period of time has not elapsed.
The method further includes the steps of providing a bonus card to a playing entity after a playing entity completes a level; and adding or subtracting from rewards of the playing entity in accordance with instructions from the bonus card. In addition, the method includes the steps of providing a final round question to a playing entity during the playing entity""s turn when the playing entity has completed traverse of the course within the predetermined time period but has accumulated less rewards than another playing entity; and providing an additional reward to the playing entity for correctly answering the final round question to enable the playing entity to satisfy both conditions of completing traverse of the course within the predetermined time period and accumulating more rewards than any other playing entity, in order to win.